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Update from O'Hare: En Route to China

Growing up in central Illinois, I always liked O'Hare Airport. For anyone who has been delayed at O'Hare, that's likely a strange statement. The reason why I liked O'Hare was because it meant we were en route to a new adventure. It was where I left from when I took my first international trip and when I went to spend a semester abroad. Then as I became an adult living in Washington, D.C., arriving at O'Hare meant I was nearly home.

So today, I am excited to spend the morning at O'Hare with my MBA classmates, getting ready for an adventure - our spring break trip to China. After working with several Chinese companies during the semester, 30 Illinois MBA students are spending a week in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Our trip includes company visits, visits to cultural sights like the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, and presentations to the companies we have been working with.

To me, adventure means opportunity. This trip is an opportunity for us to learn about doing business in China and understand a new culture. Fittingly, for the Chinese students on this trip, it is an opportunity for them to welcome us to their home. We'll look forward to sharing more about our adventures this week.

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The contributor: Jessica Weaver is a first year MBA student. She is currently reporting from her GCP trip in China.